The meaning of the word "in vain"
The books used by the Orthodox Church are written in Church Slavonic. Translation of liturgical texts is unacceptable, because the Church Slavonic language, unlike Russian, is one of the few liturgical languages. Orthodox Christians should not demand translation for the sake of their laziness. Efforts should be made to understand the meaning of ancient words, because they have the maximum capacity.
Origin
The word “in vain” several centuries ago was used as widely as, for example, “paki” or “zelo”. This word has its roots in the Old Church Slavonic language, created by Equal-to-the-Apostles Cyril and Methodius, from which Russian originated. It turned out that this word can be found not only in Russian, but also in other related languages. It originates from “in” and “in”. According to the etymology, “sui” means “empty”, “vain”. This is where the rest of the same root words come from: vain, vanity, etc.
Common meanings of the word "in vain"
Meaning of the concept
In Ozhegov’s explanatory dictionary, the concept “in vain” is deciphered as “in vain, in vain (to remember, to name; in relation to someone respected, high).” In Orthodoxy, taking the name of the Lord in vain is a sin. Ozhegov’s interpretation is closest to the Orthodox understanding of the word “in vain.” It is impossible to know when and under what conditions this word was first uttered.
How can a person take God's name in vain?
The Jews had a tradition: when a child was born in a family, names were given.
Zedekiah - The Lord is righteous.
Aveya - My Father is the Lord.
Zechariah - The Lord remembers.
Jahaz - The Lord supports.
And when parents gave these names to their children, they expected their children to lead godly lives and that they would be faithful to God. But in reality it was not always like this. For example, the Jewish king Hosea, who had three sons and who had similar names:
- Jahaz - The Lord supports.
- Jakim - The Lord restores.
- Zedekiah - The Lord is righteousness.
But all three sons were not faithful to God. They bore pious names, but their lifestyle did not correspond to the names they bore.
This is of great importance to us today. In the modern world, 1/3 of the world's population profess Christianity. But not everyone is a sincere Christian. And what happens?
Biblical commandment
The commandment not to take the name of God in vain is found in the Old Testament. It has not been abolished in our New Testament times.
History of the phrase
In the third month after the people of Israel were led out of Egypt through the parting of the Red Sea, the Lord told Moses that the saved people would become a holy nation if they obeyed God and carried out His words. The people promised this, and God descended on Mount Sinai in fire. Everyone saw fire and smoke, heard the voice of God, thunder and the sound of a trumpet. And the Lord gave commandments to the people. The first of these is known to us as the “Ten Commandments.” The commandment not to take the Name of God in vain is the third in line.
Interpretation of the commandment
The name of God is power. People should treat it with respect and not use it in their idle conversations. In the name of the Lord, many miracles and healings have been and are being performed. Whenever a person calls on the Lord, He invisibly responds to the call of his child. It is important to understand who we are addressing and what we are putting into our call. We must also not forget about the second part of the commandment, which promises punishment for everyone who does not fulfill it.
Ten Commandments of God
Clarification of the following facts helps to understand the commandment more deeply:
- The Lord is omnipresent. It is closer to a person than the air in his lungs.
- According to some researchers, the exact translation of the commandment is the command not to bear the name of God falsely.
In fact, the commandment protects a person not only from mentioning the name of God in vain out loud, but also in thoughts and actions.
Jacob's story
A very good example of breaking the third commandment is the story of Jacob. He impersonated his brother Esau, deceiving his father Isaac. Interestingly, he involves God in this deception.
(Genesis 27:20) And Isaac said to his son, “What have you found so quickly, my son?” He said: Because the Lord your God has sent to meet me.
In the modern world, people don't use an oath as often, but they still break this commandment, just in a different way.
Why you need to remember God less often
You must always remember the Lord and constantly call upon Him in prayer, asking for mercy. In the words of the holy Apostle Paul: “...pray without ceasing.” The Name of the Lord heals, strengthens, helps in the fight against thoughts, passions, visible and invisible enemies. But a person will earn punishment for himself and anger the Lord if he makes His name a weed word and mindlessly inserts it into any sentences.
Mentioning God casually contributes to the loss of the fear of God and reverence. A hackneyed word does not have any influence on a person, because he himself has devalued it, he himself has ceased to respect and honor his Creator and His name.
We must always remember the Lord and constantly call upon Him in prayer, asking for mercy.
Christians must live up to the name of Christ
People who call themselves Christians bear the name of Christ, the name of God. But in fact, this name does not correspond to their lifestyle. And it turns out that in this way they violate the third commandment - they bear the name of God in vain.
Also in modern society, very often the name of God or the word “God” is used in proverbs, sayings or simply in everyday speech. At the same time, they do not think of turning to God. And this violates the third commandment. This commandment prohibits any disrespectful address to God or His Name.
Christ came to earth and called Himself the Son of Man. He took our name for Himself so that we could bear His Name and be called sons of God.
Clarifications in the Old and New Testaments
The Bible has many interpretations and instructions for the correct fulfillment of the commandments. Thus, in the book of the Old Testament: Deuteronomy it is said to fear the Lord, serve only Him and swear by His name. Failure to fulfill an oath, giving a false oath in the name of God was a violation of the law, a sin. In the New Testament (in the Gospel of Matthew) we have a complete explanation of the commandment from the lips of the Lord Jesus Christ himself. He explained to the people in detail so that they should not swear by anything, because heaven is the throne of God, and the earth is His footstool.
The name of God is strong and holy. It must not be mixed with empty chatter. Every person should treat him with reverence.
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What does the commandment “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain” mean?
Igor Polyakov:
Ask yourself a question: what commandments of God do I know? What's the first thing that comes to mind? Most likely, those that we ourselves have not violated and condemn in others. "Thou shalt not kill." Everyone agrees here. "Thou shalt not steal." First of all, for me. Some remember: “Thou shalt not commit adultery.” There are probably negative experiences in this regard. So, seven more commandments! As my practical communication with people shows, this is where difficulty arises.
Today, the Ten Commandments, or Decalogue, are considered the basis of the moral standards of many peoples and cultures where Christianity has primarily exerted its influence. We can say with confidence that long before the famous Roman law, the laws established by God in the people of Israel were at that time the peak of civilization and social justice. And the core of God's law was the Ten Commandments.
But even today they do not lose relevance and, at least, should be the foundation of the living standards of a person who calls himself a believer in God.
Despite the population's almost universal identification of themselves as believers, when it comes to practice or even basic knowledge, there is a long and tense pause.
Of the ten commandments, only six relate to relationships between people, while the first four relate to man's relationship with God.
The third commandment refers specifically to this part of the Decalogue. It reads: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave unpunished the one who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).
There are people who say the name of the Lord to fill a gap in their thoughts, or simply out of habit, for example, “Lord!” or “My God!”, or some other invocation of God. Some swear by the name of God or use His name in dirty jokes and stories. All this is disrespect for God and a violation of the third commandment.
A name in Old Testament times was not just a word. It defined and characterized the personality behind this name. An attitude towards a name meant an attitude towards a person. Thus, we can understand the purpose of this commandment is that a frivolous and disrespectful attitude towards God is a crime against Him. Just like a disrespectful attitude towards one’s earthly parents, which is expressed in the fifth commandment, is a great sin. The third commandment calls us to honor our Heavenly Father, who gave our earthly parents the ability to give birth to us and breathed into us the breath of life. This disrespect is expressed primarily in the fact that a person is guided in life only by his own mind, feelings and desires, without paying much attention to the opinion of the Creator of the Universe.
Christ taught his disciples to pray like this: “Our Father who art in Heaven! Hallowed be Thy name!” (Gospel of Matthew 6:9). Jesus showed that an important element of a right relationship with God must be honoring His name.
Six times in three chapters of John's Gospel, Jesus promises that in His name we can ask God the Father for anything and receive an answer. Here is one of these scriptures: “Truly, truly, I say to you, whatever you ask the Father in My name he will give you. Until now you have asked nothing in My name; ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete ” (Gospel of John 16:23-24). The name of the Lord Jesus Christ and the reverent and correct treatment of His name opens up God's blessings to us.
We see an example of the correct attitude towards the name of Christ among the apostles. In the story of the miraculous healing of a man who had been disabled since childhood and could not walk on his own, the Apostle Peter explains this miracle this way: “And because of the faith in His name, His name has strengthened this one whom you see and know, and the faith that is from Him , granted him this healing in the presence of you all” (Acts 3:16).
As we see, God gave us His name so that we can communicate with Him and receive an answer from Him to our prayers with faith in the power of this name.
But the Lord gives a very serious warning to those who call themselves believers and even turn to God with their lips, probably asking Him for something:
“Not everyone who says to Me: “Lord! Lord!” will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven ” (Matthew 5:21).
Jesus warns that our relationship with Him cannot be purely religious. But our entire lifestyle, actions in everyday affairs and relationships with other people are for God either a confirmation of our faith or a confirmation of our hypocrisy, and thus, everything that we say to God becomes empty, that is, spoken in vain, in vain.
Next, Jesus shows the way in which we can fulfill this commandment.
“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and does them will be likened to a wise man who built his house on the rock; and the rain came down, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it did not fall, because it was founded on rock” (Matthew 5:24,25).
Our whole life can become like this house: stable, confident, successful. So that we know that God Himself is on our side and we are on the right path.
According to the Holy Scriptures, anyone who listens to and follows the words of Jesus Christ can become this person.
Only in the Word of God, in the Holy Bible, can we find out the will of God, and if we respect it by reading, reflecting and applying it in life, then we honor God Himself. “For Thou hast magnified Thy word above every Thy name” (Psalm 137:2).
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When not to mention God's name
The name of God cannot be called inappropriately, that is, with curses. At the same time, it is prohibited to use the name of God for one’s own purposes, that is, to put forward one’s preferences and demands on behalf of the Lord.
Often in parables, a person endowed with piety turns to the Lord with a request so that in old age and poverty not to steal and not to take the name of God in vain. Thus, you cannot beg for money in the name of God , especially if we are talking about a healthy and able-bodied person. In addition, political agitation, which in any form indicates some kind of “God’s” providence, is prohibited. You should not look in it for an explanation of the causes of misfortunes that happen to other people.
Often, conflicts in which people are overwhelmed by anger, anger, resentment and fear can cloud the mind. In such a situation, it is very difficult to soberly evaluate one’s own actions, to be aware of their appropriateness and moral aspects.
This problem is especially acute in military conflicts . At the same time, each of the warring parties assures that God is on its side. In particular, we know about the German slogan “God, punish England!”, which existed during the First World War. An interesting fact is that he was even ridiculed in one of the films of that time.
